Organizations that manufacture and deliver mailpieces to the postal authority for final delivery to customers have complex data and equipment configurations plus production procedures that are difficult to change when new regulations effecting the production of mail are issued by the postal authority. These procedures involve data processing systems to perform address update services and generate the required legacy barcodes (for example POSTNET™ and PLANET for the USPS®). The barcodes (POSTNET for delivery point and PLANET code® for CONFIRM® service and mailpiece tracking) are created with the data processing services and are integrated into the address block data when the final printer control file is created. In addition, key line data is collected and integrated into an alpha-numeric string which contains data such as, address change service participation, participant code and a unique matchback code used for address list updates. Inserter control data maybe included in the address block, in the form of a barcode such as a 2-D data matrix or a code 39 barcode. This barcode either contains the data needed to control assembly of the contents of the mailpiece or reference an entry in a data file that contains such assembly data. Achieving compliance with new postal regulations, whether they be domestic or international in scope, can be costly and time consuming since equipment changes are needed, Information Technology (IT) groups need to integrate new software and procedures and the factory work flow may change.
A recent example of a postal authority instituting new postal regulations is the United States Postal Authority (USPS); specifically requiring all mailers in the US to adapt to a new postal authority approved barcode known as the Intelligent Mail® Barcode (IMB). This barcode will combine all existing mailpiece data such as but not limited to POSTNET, PLANET barcodes and key line information. Hence, there exists a need for a largely self contained device to be attached to an inserter, wrapper, or to operate independently to generate a postal approved barcode, such as an IMB, from available data provided electronically and/or derived from an image containing the needed data. Furthermore, a solution is needed to enable the newly generated postal barcode to be printed in a postal authority approved area of the envelope. Only minor changes are required to the infrastructure in order to be compliant with the postal authority regulations. The method and system provided herein will fulfill this missing capability.